Flying into the future

Hindustan Aeronatutics is spreading its wings

When Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar inaugurated Hindustan Aeronatutics Ltd’s newest product, the indigenously designed 25kN class jet engine in Bengaluru on 14 December 2015, his action was a reiteration of the fact that HAL has been making in India for 75 years now. As T Suvarna Raju stated on the occasion, “this milestone reinforces the commitment of HAL to Make in India, yet again…”

It was in December 1940 that India’s own aircraft company was established, albeit as a private effort by visionary entrepreneur Seth Walchand Hirachand, in association with American William Douglas Pawley. The Japanese war against China had forced the latter’s aeroplane plant in southern China to relocate to Bangalore, and the rest, as they say, is history.

With America entering the war, HAL was transformed into a maintenance and overhaul depot for the United States Air Force. After 1947, HAL re-invented itself, refurbishing aircraft for an independent Indian Air Force and numerous civil airlines, but also planting the seeds for home grown aircraft designed and built in India. First was the HT-2 primary trainer, followed by HAL’s Kiran, a basic jet trainer that first flew in ’64 and remains in frontline service, having trained thousands of fledgling pilots.

One of the best-known fighters produced by HAL was the Gnat light fighter, known as the ‘Sabre Slayer’, due to its sterling performance in two shooting wars in ’65 and ’71. The indigenously conceived Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA) has been the subject of continuous design and development, with the first deliveries made in 2015. The LCA will eventually re-equip large numbers of MiGs still serving with the IAF. The Russian era began with licence production of the MiG-21 series of supersonic fighters in ’66. The MiG Division established at Nashik has been strenuously engaged since, followed by the swing-wing MiG-27 and thereafter, the Sukhoi Su-30MKI, which, today, constitutes the IAF’s combat backbone.

HAL has also been producing transport aircraft, with comprehensive transfer of technology to make in India—first the Avro (HS 748) and then the Dornier (Do-228). The latter, a versatile German-origin light transport aircraft is built entirely in India and has enormous export potential. HAL’s involvement with rotary- winged aircraft (helicopters) goes back to June 1962 with the Chetak and Cheetah light helicopters built under French licence. This was before HAL embarked on its indigenous advanced light helicopter (ALH) programme for the Indian armed forces and for export. Buoyant with this success, HAL has designed the light combat helicopter (LCH), which has unique performance capabilities for the Army deployed at Himalayan heights. The light utility helicopter (LUH), which is to supplant the weary Cheetahs, is to be produced for India’s armed forces, all of these completely Made in India.